Portrait of Abdu'l Baha and Shoghi Effendi
george.fleming2
Recently I was requested by the Administrative Order (letter inclosed below)
of the Baha'i Faith not to share this painting by an unknown Iranian artist
amongst the Baha'i friends. As an artist myself I was deeply dismayed by
this letter as it showed the BF to be totally hypocritical towards art when
one of their greatest principles is the promotion of the arts. Now I have
resigned from the Baha'i Faith I am free to share this beautiful portrait
with other non-Baha'i Iranians without having to worry that some Baha'i will
report me to my National Spirtual Assembly for breaking Baha'i rules.
file:///Macintosh%20HD/%20George%20Fleming%20Art%20/Painting%20of%20'Abdul-B
aha.j%205
It is well known photographs or imaginary portraits of both manifestations
(the Bab and Baha'u'llah) are forbidden to be circulated amongst Baha'is but
I never knew this strict law extended to Abdu'l Baha (the Master) and Shoghi
Effendi (the Guardian). The very wording 'Artifical conjuction" in Mr. Enos
Makhele letter is to my understanding nothing short of an insult to today's
modern artistic creativity and the use of ones imagination to produce art.
Be it Visual art. poetry, literature, music or the preforming arts etc etc.
This letter below in my opinion is a typical example of the black and white
fundamentalist backward attitude (carried over from Islam) towards anything
that might lean towards Renaissance art or even modern realism. If the
Baha'i Faith is to promote the very words Abdul Baha spoke himself, then
it's about time Mr. Enos Makhele and his friends from the Continental Board
of Counsellors all signed up for a course on the history of Art.
"Although to acquire the sciences and arts is the greatest glory of mankind,
this is so only on condition that man's river floweth into the mighty Sea,
and draweth from God's ancient source His inspiration. When this cometh to
pass, then every teacher is as a shoreless ocean, every pupil a prodigal
fountain of knowledge. If, then, the pursuit of knowledge leadeth to the
beauty of Him Who is the object of all knowledge, how excellent that goal;
but if not, a mere drop will perhaps shut a man off from flooding grace, for
with learning cometh arrogance and pride, and it bringeth on error and
indifference to God". (From a Tablet) - translated from the Persian cf.
Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá [rev. ed.] (Haifa: Bahá'í World
Centre, 1982) sec. 72, p. 110 [11]
All opinions welcome.........................................GF
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>>>> THE INTERNATIONAL TEACHING CENTRE
>>>> BAHA'I WORLD CENTRE
>>>> 2 July
>>>> 2002
>>>> Transmitted by email
>>>>
>>>> Mr. Enos Makhele
>>>> Continental Board of Counsellors
>>>> in Africa
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Dearly loved Co-worker,
>>>>
>>>> Thank you for your email of 5 June 2002 in which you seek
>>>> guidance concerning an electronic copy of a portrait of 'Abdu'l-Baha and
>>>> Shoghi Effendi. Your concerns were referred to the Universal House of
>>>> Justice.The House of Justice has asked us to advise you that the
>>>> artificial conjunction of the pictures of the Master and the Guardian in
>>>> this representation is highly inappropriate, and it should not be
>>>> circulated among the friends.
>>>>
>>>> With loving Baha'i greetings,
>>>>
>>>> The International Teaching Centre
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> cc: Board of Counsellors in Africa (by email)